State swim story

I was pressured for time and probably put one too many quotes in. Liked how it turned out, though.

PODUNKVILLE — Maybe it’s something about being a round number, about how it rolls off the tongue, about stretching your fingers and thumbs to the Podunk University Natatorium ceiling and having a state title for each one.

Or maybe it’s accomplishing something few — besides the West Podunk boys’ swim team — thought was possible before the season, or even a few days ago.

Ten straight championships. One more victory dip in the pool. Prep swimming immortality.

It was all the Bears’ Wednesday night.

Unlike any state meet it has experienced, West had to fight back instead of kick back. In the end, it rallied past Looserville and a Mike Smith-led East Podunk squad to capture an unprecedented 10th straight title.

“10 in a row? Double digits?” Jonathan Turner exclaimed.

“10 in a row is pretty big, man,” Corey Rumey added.

“10 is a great number. It’s my new favorite,” Ross Lawson said, matter of factly.

The Bears finished with 144 points, just seven more than runner-up Looserville. East Podunk (128), Beavertown (114) and Georgia Washington (104) comprised the rest of the top five.

Get past the sheer magnitude of the Bears tying East Podunk’s 1976-85 boys’ tennis team for one the state’s longest championship streaks — Oak Wood wrestling has won 11 in row in different classifications — and you’ll be hard pressured to find a more dominant program.

This season, however, was supposed to be different. West entered Tuesday’s preliminaries seeded sixth, and even coach Steve Smith had doubts whether it could keep the run going.

But not the Bears’ 14 varsity swimmers.

“I think everybody felt we were doing to do this. I know last night everybody went home and was thinking the same thing — that we had to step up. It took a lot of concentration to go to sleep,” Travis DeVault said.

“I think we always knew deep down we could pull it out,” Lawson said. “Nobody wants to be the team that ends the streak. I think that’s a big part of it.”

As was Lawson’s, Tuner's, Andrew Bonasso’s and Hunter Murray’s performance in the 400 freestyle relay.

Down 123-118 going into the meet’s final event, the quartet rattled off a time of 3:22.06, not good enough to beat Parkersburg’s record pace, but plenty to clinch the championship.

“Going into it, we pretty much knew if we didn’t get disqualified, we had a state championship,” Lawson said of the event, which set a school record. “For Hunter and me, it was our last race ever so we definitely had some motivation.

“I’m beyond words right now. So many people thought we couldn’t do this. To pull it off just feels so incredible.”

In other action, the 200 medley relay, the game group which raced the 400, just missed a state mark.

Turner added a second-place finish in the 200 IM and was third in the 100 breaststroke. Lawson took second in the latter event, while Bonasso was fourth in the 200 freestyle and fifth in the 100 freestyle.

“The fact that we only won by seven points makes it that much better,” Turner said. “The last two titles, it’s almost as if every other team (wasn’t the same caliber). This one we had to work for.”

“The impossible victory. That’s what I’m going to call it,” Smith said.

One to cherish forever — or at least until next year.

 

As I told one of our younger writers the other night, I know here you're trying to go with this...you just didn't quite get there.


PODUNKVILLE — Maybe it’s something about being a round number, about how it rolls off the tongue, about stretching your fingers and thumbs to the Podunk University Natatorium ceiling and having a state title for each one.
Or maybe it’s accomplishing something few — besides the West Podunk boys’ swim team — thought was possible before the season, or even a few days ago.


You've lost me. I have no idea what you're talking about.

The rest of it is solid.. but I don't get the impression of 10 in a row or any great accomplishent in this lede.
You tried for something -- a good thing -- but tried a little too hard and did not make any point in those 2 grafs.

Maybe using the "10" in a different way:

PODUNKVILLE — Maybe it’s just something about the number.
“Ten in a row. Double digits” Jonathan Turner said.
Or the way it rolls off the tongue.
“Ten is a great number. It’s my new favorite,” Ross Lawson said.
Or maybe it’s accomplishing something few besides the West Podunk boys’ swim team thought was possible before the season, or even a few days ago.
Ten straight State championships. One more victory dip in the pool.

 

So, spnited, you're basically telling me to get to the point?

 

The one thing I'd like to know is what the headline and deck were for the story, because I'm guessing the 10th title in a row was a focal point there.

If it was, I'm think the lede becomes less ambiguous. That said, I love the way Spn reworked it. The quotes as part of the lede, instead of being one after the other.

Oh, and I'm fine with added, but exclaimed ... I know you're trying to convey how they said it, but I think “10 in a row? Double digits?” is a well framed quote, and speaks for itself as to how he was feeling.